The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-19

and that he had had a long Conversation
on theee topics with Mr.. Powderly, the
president OF the Knights OF Labor, The
Congress- Of the United States, In commit.
ance with the yiews presented BY Pfesi.
dent cleveland In bis annual message, Ia
at present engaged In framing measured
ior the improvement OF the condition OF
the laboring classes, in whose complaInta
they acknowledge that there Ia a great
deal Of truth. And our political mar.
ties, lar from considering them
@ enemies oi the country, vie
with each other in Championing the eyi.
dent rights Of workingmen who seek not
TO resist or to overthrow the laws, but only
to obtain just legislation by constitutional
and legitimate means.
These considerations, which show that
In this association those elements are moi
found which the Holy See has condemned.
lead US to study, in the second place. the
evils which the association contenIa
against, and the nature OF the conflict.
GRAVE EVILS TO CONTEND AGAINST,
9. That there exist among us, as in all
the other countries Of the world, grave and
threatening evils, public injuatices which
call for strong resistance and legal remedy
Is fact which no one dares 10 dcny-s
fact already acknowledged by the Con.
gress and the President OF the United
States. Without entering into the BAD de.
tails OF these evils whose full discussion
is not here necessary, | will only mention
that monopolies, on the part both OF in.
dividusls and Of corporations, have every
where called forth not only tho
complaints Of our working classes, but
also the opposition Of our public men and
| Legislators; that the efforts OF monopolists,
not always without success, to control
legislation 10 their own profit, cause Sc.
rious approximations amoug the disinter.
ested friends OF liberty; that the heart.
less avsrice which, through greed Of gain,
pitilessly grinds not only the men but
even the women and children in various
emp!oyments, makes It clear 10 all who
love humanity and justice, that 1t Is not
only tho right OF the laboring classes to
protect themselves, but the duty Of the
whole people to aid them in finding
remedy againat the dangers with which
| both civilization and aocial order are mo.
naeed by arsrice, oppreesion and corrup.
ton.
1twould be vain to dispute either the
existence ol the evils, or the right OF legiti.
male resistance, or the necessity Of a
remedy. At moat, doubt might be rais-
ell about the legitimacy OF the form OF re-
sstance and Of remedy employed by the
Knights Of Labor. This then is the next
point to be examined.
3. 1t can hardly be doubted that, for
the attainment OF any public end, 1850.
ciation-the organization OF all interested,
lis the most eilicacious means, q means
altogether natural and just. This is go
evident, and, besides, 30 coniorma5le to
the genius of our country, OF our essen.
tally popular Eocial condition, that 1t is
unnecessa"" 70 n,'s+ upon il. 1t is almost
the only neshs 10 gam public attention,
to Sivo iuIre TO the mos, legitimate re-
sistauce, to add weight to the most Just
demands.
Now there already exists an orgauiza.
ton, which presents innumerable stttrac.
tlons and advantages, but with which our
Catholic workingmen, filially- obedient to |
the Holy See, refuse to unite themselves;
this is the Masonic order, which exists |
everywhere in our country. which, as MIR. !
Powderly has expressly pointed out 10 US,
unites employers and employed in O
brotherhood very advantageous to the |
latter, but which numbers in ita ranks |
hardly single Catholic. Ncbly renourc-
ing advantages which the church and con-
Science forbid, our workinsmen Join asso.
cations in no wey in conflict with religion, |
seek nothing but mutual protection and |
help, and the legitimate assertion OF their |
rights. Must they here alec find them
selves threatened with condemnation,
hindered from their only means OF seli |
defense?
oy1ECTIoSS ANSWERED.
4. Let us now consider the objections
made a2ainst this sort OF organization.
az 1t ia objected that, in such organiza-
tons, Catholics are mixed with Protes.
tants, to the peril OF their faith. Natural
ly yes, they are mixed with Pedestrians |
at their work; for, in mixed people like |
ours, the separation OF religious creeds in |
civil affairs is all impossibility. But, TO
suppose that the faitl OF our Catholics
sutlers thereby, is not to know the Catholic
wo!kIngman OF America, who are not like
the woskingmen Of 30 many European
countries, misguided children eg.ranged !
from their mother the Church, and re-.
gar'iing her vii auspicion and dread bnt
intelligent, well instructed, and devoted
Catholics, ready to, give their blood il
necessary, ss thsy continually give
their hard earned neane, for
her support and protection. And in
fact, ii is not hero the queetion Of Catholics
mixed with protestants, but rather that
Protestante aro admitted to share in the
advantages OF an association tho majority
OF Whose members and officers are Cath0.
liCH; and, in country like ours, their tx.
clusion would be simply impossible.
h} BIT 1t is aa akad, iaa.esd OF such an
organization, could there not be contra.
ternities, in which the workiagmsn
would be united under the direction nI
the clergy and the influence OF religion
anBwer frankly that do not consider
this either possible or necessary in our
country. aincerely admire the efforts OF
this sort which are made in countries
whore tho working people are led Ns,ray
by the enemies OF religion; bpt, thauks
to God, that ia not our condition. We
find that in our country the presence and
direct influence Of the clergy would not
be advisable where our citizens, without
ulhllhGAtou VI ItlIp'Dnb JtllHI, come 10.
gether in regard to their industrial inlor.
es,s alone. Short OF that, We have nbun.
dant meana for making our working
people faithful Catholics; and simple
good sense advlecB us not to 90 TO eI.
tremeS.
c. Again il. is objected that, in such or
canix ,tiona, Catholics are exposed 10 tho
evil Influences OF tho most dangerous as-
sociates, even Of athnists, communists and
anarchats. That il true; hut it ia one Of
those trials OF faith which our brave
American Catholics are accustomed TO
meet almost daily, and which they know
how 10 iaca with good senge md frmncaB.
The press OF our country tells us, and the
Preaident Of tho Knights oil Labor has
related 10 us, how thosu violent and ay.
grcrsivG elements have cpdnavored 10
control tho association, or to inject their
poison into its p.inciplcu; but they also
inform uG with what determination these
m8chinatoiB have been mot and beaten.
Tho presence among our Citixeus of thoee